# How to ignore previous log files when using file input plugin?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940
**Category:** Logstash
**Created:** [July 20, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940 "2015-07-20T18:57:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@nathaniel](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nathaniel)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940/1 "2015-07-20T18:57:11Z")
Hi guys, I am a newbie in logstash. I am trying to forward all my log files to elasticsearch using logstash. The problem is, the previously existing log files are huge and I do not need them. Is there a way to only input the newly generated log files?
To make it clear, I did tried to set the start\_position =\> "end", and sincedb\_path =\> "/dev/null". It did not work. Hope you guys can help me figure it out.
Thanks in advance.
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### Author:  [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940/2 "2015-07-20T21:36:42Z")
First of all, don't set `sincedb_path` to /dev/null. Logstash does a pretty good job at keeping track of where it left off. Don't sabotage that.
With `start_position => "end"` Logstash should under no circumstances process a file from the beginning. Please show your configuration. Also, increasing logging verbosity by starting Logstash with `--verbose` or `--debug` should give hints about what Logstash is doing.
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### Author:  [@talevy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/talevy)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940/3 "2015-07-20T22:51:56Z")
You can take a look at the `exclude` configuration option. So you can
exclude the existing files from being processed.
more info here: [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/logstash/current/plugins-inputs-file.html#plugins-inputs-file-exclude](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/logstash/current/plugins-inputs-file.html#plugins-inputs-file-exclude)
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### Author:  [@metload](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/metload)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940/4 "2016-09-05T18:24:46Z")
Hi Magnus,
If you don't recommend to set sincedb\_path to "dev/null", How can I be able to read the file of the beginning?,
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### Author:  [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940/5 "2016-09-05T18:44:21Z")
> If you don't recommend to set sincedb\_path to "dev/null",
Not under the circumstances described above...
> How can I be able to read the file of the beginning?,
...but your circumstances are the exact opposite.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 4:39am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-ignore-previous-log-files-when-using-file-input-plugin/25940/6 "2017-07-06T04:39:49Z")